Lift Your Face
by Kaara
Summary: Wabisuke and Kira and midnight conversations. WabisukeKira. OneShot.


**Title:** Lift Your Face.  
**By:** Kaara.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters mentioned in this fanfic. They belong to Kubo Tite, the amazing man that had created Bleach.  
**Rating:** PG15. I think. XDD I suck at rating things.  
**Note:** Wabisuke and Kira have a midnight conversation. Implied Corporeal!WabixKira. Mentions of Gin and Shinsou. Set after the SS Arc.

**xxx**

**Lift Your Face**

**xxx**

"Izuru."

"I'm sleeping."

"You're not. Izuru. _Izuru_."

Rustles of thick blankets and restless limbs echoed across the dark room, punctuated by a sigh. "I have loads of paperwork to do tomorrow. Please let me sleep."

"Not until we talk. Izuru."

"_Please_?"

"No. Izuru. We have to talk."

A spark of match against sand paper and a small flame flickered to life, highlighting the barren simplicity of the room and the delicate curves of Kira's fatigued face. The young shinigami carefully placed the candle onto the floor, and stared morosely into the darkness beyond. The white of his eyes were tinted with red, and shadows of depression marred his face. He ran his tongue across his chapped lips, and asked to seemingly no one, "What do you want to talk about?"

Sharp clinks of linked chains answered the question, and Kira's eyes softened ever so slightly as tendrils of darkness crept forward, despite the presence of light around him. The recognizable sleeve of a white kimono appeared first, decorated by crimson spots not unlike blood. The sound of slithering chains intensified inside the small space as the rest of the kimono-clad figure materialised in front of Kira. Black, unseeing eyes regarded the shinigami fondly as a manacled, skeletal hand reached forward, brushing ever so gently over the blonde's cheek.

Dark-painted lips parted in breathless whispers of, "Izuru. Izuru. Izuru."

"I'm here. Wabisuke."

"Izuru. I am sorry."

Kira sighed and shook his head. "Please don't…"

The hand moved to his chest, pressing against the exposed flesh there. "You're hurt. I am sorry. Izuru. I am sorry."

Shifting uncomfortably on the futon, Kira tried to ignore the glacial sensation spreading from Wabisuke's thin fingers. "It's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault."

"Shall we go after Shinsou? Izuru?" Dirty golden hair spilled around them, as Wabisuke inched closer to his master. Kira shivered. "Will that make you feel better, Izuru?"

"I… can't," replied the blonde, biting the inside of his mouth so hard that he could feel the metallic tang of blood coating his teeth. Wabisuke's words stung like thousands of hundreds sharp blades. "I have to stay here."

"But you're hurt, Izuru," the zanpakutou insisted. His hands, both skinny and manacled heavily, curled around Kira's arms in an overprotective gesture. "Staying here hurts you. Izuru. Let's go after Shinsou."

"I…"

"I miss Shinsou. Izuru. Shinsou is my only friend. Shall we go after Shinsou?"

Kira inhaled sharply, and wrenched his arms free from the freezing grip. His eyes were bright with unshed tears, wide with fear and apprehension. "I can't! They… Ichimaru-taichou is a traitor and… I just can't!"

Wabisuke stroked his master's quivering face gently, and whispered, breathless and desperate, "You're hurt. Izuru. I won't let them hurt you. Izuru. Izuru. Izuru. _My_ Izuru."

"Wabisuke, we can't go after Shinsou," Kira muttered quietly, face downcast. He made no motion to brush aside those cold, caressing fingers. "Because… because it'll hurt more."

The fingers stilled. "Did Shinsou hurt Izuru?"

Kira's fingers dug into his palms, creating crescent-shaped indents that drew out blood.

Crimson red blossomed over the white of his yukata.

"Shinsou hurts Izuru." An alien sense of vehemence coloured the remark, and Kira flinched when sharp, wraithlike nails clamped down into the exposed skin of his arms. He shouldn't have felt anything, but he curiously did. Something akin to bitter fury burnt in the depths of Wabisuke's dark, dark eyes. Like an endless abyss. "Shinsou hurts Izuru. That's why Izuru refuses to go after Shinsou. Yes?"

Kira couldn't bring himself to disagree.

"I'll kill Shinsou!"

"Wabisuke…"

"_No one_ should hurt Izuru."

"Please, Wabisuke…"

The zanpakutou turned to his master; twin trails of red similar to teardrops streaking down the waxen cheeks. "Izuru hurts too much. I am sorry. Izuru. I should be stronger."

Kira disentangled himself from the possessive grip and allowed his shoulders to sag tiredly. He fell back onto the futon and closed his eyes, as darkness once again claimed him. He rested the back of his hand over his eyes. "I'm the weak one… Ichimaru-taichou, he said… he said it's okay to be weak… he'll always protect me…"

"Silver is cold. Much, much too cold for warm Izuru," rebuked Wabisuke, and he was all over Kira again. The vice-captain winced as invisible chains moved like live snakes around them. Fleeting, icy touches fluttered over his skin. "I shall protect Izuru now. I shall be stronger and protect Izuru. Shinsou will not hurt Izuru anymore."

Kira leaned into the touches, ignoring the numbing sensation it brought. He was so exhausted; so weary of _everything_.

"Izuru will hurt no more, because I will be here." The ethereal being smiled as his master unconsciously accepted his touches. Painted lips pressed lightly against Kira's forehead, and Wabisuke started to fade into nothingness, leaving behind nothing but words for his precious, sleeping master.

"Lift your face, Izuru. I will be stronger. Lift your face and be proud of me. Izuru."

**END**

I know. I'm weird like that. But I love Kira too much! TTTT And Wabisuke turned out to be as weird as he comes. Reviews are very much welcomed and loved!


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